Index and signal



June 25, 1935. ;v C, K11-CHEN 2?0()5 ,977 K INDEXl AND SIGNAL Filed July9, 1952 Patented June 25, 17935 INDEX AND SIGNAL` Charles C. Kitchen,Toledo, Ohio, assigner to Remington Rand Inc., Buialo, N. Y.

Application July 9, 1932, Serial No. 621,722

9 Claims.

This invention relates to Signalling devices particularly adapted foruse in conjunction with index le equipment of the visible type.

One object of the invention is to provide a 5 device adapted to beattached to marginal portions of a card or like index which will permitindependent selective signalling of two different conditions representedthereon.

Another objectof the invention is to provide l a structure adapted to beassembled and operated without diiculty in conjunction with various wellknown types of visible index equipment such as those utilizing visibleretaining sheaths.

These objects can be accomplished by mounting a pair of signals upon themarginal portion of an index card and setting each signal upon themarginalportion at the proper marked location. For example, signals canbe so mounted as to intersect each other as they extend through amarginal Slot in the index member and each signal is visible from theslot toward one lateral edge of the card, depending upon the distance itis drawn from the slot. The marginal portions of the card from the Slottoward the lateral edges are provided with cooperating signallingfeatures and the signals cooperate according to their exposed portionsto signal certain facts regarding the records on the cards. v

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan of a filing device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross Section, on a larger scale of one of the lingelements, taken substantially along the line II--II of Fig. 1;

35 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan of a marginal portion of an index card;

Fig. 4 is a cross section, taken substantially along the line IV IV ofFig. 1, but illustrating only one of the ling elements;

Fig. 5 isa fragmentary planof a marginal portion of another form offiling element;

Fig. 6 is a disassembled perspective'of a pair of signals employed inthe device shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig.` 7 is a disassembled perspective. of the signals employed in thedevice shown in Fig. 5.

Cardholders I0 having attached marginal re-v taining and supportingstrips I I for slidably and removably mounting them in guides I2 of a letray I5, are provided with slots I6 for receiving upper corner portionsof record members I1 whichl portion of each card I1. The front upperedge of the sheath is turned inwardly to form a bead extending acrossthe lower portion of the card. The marginal portion of each card at anintermediate location has a slot 22 extending to its edge which iscovered by the sheath I8. A pair of signals 23.and 25, in the form oftransparent' flexible strips, which may be colored either alike ordifferently, are inserted in opposed relation through the slot 22 andintersect at the slot. Outer ends, or portions, of the Signals extendingtoward the opposite lateral edges of the cards are provided withrelatively large manually operable handles 26 and 2l projecting upwardlybeyond the upper beaded edge of the sheath.

The strip 23 is cut away to provide a relatively narrow shank 28 whichextends through a longitudinal slot 29 in a shank 30 of the other signal25. These Shanks 28 and 30 intersect each other at the slot 22. Thus, asviewed in Fig. l, the signal 23 is visible and movable in the sheath tothe left from the Slot 22 along a cooperating signalling section 32 ofthe card, whereas the signal is visible and movable in the sheath to theright from the Slot 22 along cooperating signalling section 33 of thecard. The slot provides a dividing line between the marginal signalsections of the card. Signalling indicia 35, which in this instancerepresent months of the year, are applied along the section 32, andother suitable signalling indicia 36 on the opposite Section 33 areprovided for indicating percentages. Projections or lips 3l are Struckout from the handles 26 and 2l of the signals for guiding action withrespect to the inner sheath bead 20 and maintain the signals properlySlidable in the sheath. In assembling the signals the projections snapbehind the beads as the signals are inserted in the Sheath.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 7, Signals 38 and 39 areprovided, which operate in substantially the same manner as theotherrsignals, and are inserted in the same form of card holder.However, in this form the signal 39 is not slotted, but has a narrowstrip shank 50 which is adapted to be adjacent a similar shank 52located in a relatively offset position on the signal 38 withoutinterfering with the same at the marginal slot 22 of the card I 'I.Integral handles 53 and 55 of the Signals project beyond the bead 20 ofthe Sheath and are manually operable in the same manner as the signalhandles described previously. The portions of the signals at theopposite ends from their handles extend through the slot 22 from thefront of the card II and these ends are concealed. Accordingly, there isno visible overlapping, or combination of colors, of the two signalstrips, and they operate to signal independently the conditionsrepresented on the sections 32 and 33 and cooperate with the same slot22 to support or guide them in exposing predetermined portions thereof.The length of the exposed portion of each signal has a definite relationto the cooperating card section and simply by observing the exposedportion of either signal, a definite conception of the conditionsrepresented is conveyed to the observer.

One of the various uses of this construction is illustrated in Fig. lwherein sales records are entered upon the card with reference tovarious sales and percentages. For example, the signal 23 can be setupon one of the indicia 35 to indicate, by viewing the marginal portionof the card, the month of last call by a salesman. This porf tion of thecard is visible without examination of the body of the card and withoutdisturbing the overlapped internesting relation of a series of cards ledin a tray. Likewise the right hand side of the card at-its marginalportion, as viewed in this iigure, serves to indicate the percentage oflast years business obtained thus far this year,

by setting the signal at the proper percentage indicia 36 which isvisible without manipulating the cards. Thus two important features ofsales records can be made visible simply by viewing the margins of thecards and the necessary changes from time to time may be effectedindependently on each side or section of the card by manipulating therespective signals. It is only necessary to glance at the exposedportions of the signals to ascertain whether or not the percentages arehigh, low or medium, or whether the last date indicated is near thefirst, mid, or latter part of a year. 4The invention is not so limitedbut that various changes may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. An index device comprising a card having a slot formed in onemarginal portion, said card having signalling areas, a pair of signalstrips extending through said slot from opposite directions with visibleportions of the strips extending from the slot in opposite directionsalong, and cooperating with, the signalling areas of the card.

2. An index device comprising a card, a pair of signal strips, means atone marginal portion of the card for slidably mounting the strips forindependent movement, each signal strip having opposite' portionsconcealed by different parts of said means and said card from theother-signal strip and being visible only on one side of said card, eachsignal being visible over separate parts of said card from the other,being visible only on one sidel of said card, and each strip havingsignalling cooperation with that portion of the card upon which it isvisible.

3. An index device comprising a card, having a slot in one edge portion,a sheath enclosing the slotted edge of the card, a pair of signal stripsslidably mounted in the slot and crossing each other at the slot toextend toward opposite faces of the-card, each strip being visible onone side of the card and over a portion at one side of the slot oppositefrom the other signal, and said signals being conned between the sheathand lcard, each strip being independently movable for independentsignalling cooperation with Visible portions ofone side ofthe card.

4. An index device comprising a card having a slot in one marginalportion dividing the marginal portion into two sections, a pair ofsignal strips extending in opposite directions through and crossing eachother at the slot whereby each strip slidably overlies in visiblerelation a different portion of the card margin from the slot toward alateral card edge, and transparent means enclosing the marginal portionof the card and signal strips, saidsignal strips being independentlymovable in the transparent means for independent signalling cooperationwith their respective marginal sections. l

5. An index device comprising a card having a slot in one marginalportion dividing the marginal portion into two sections, a pair ofsignal strips extending 'in opposite directions through and crossingeach other at the slot whereby each strip slidably overlies in visible.relation a different section of the card margin from the slot toward itslateral edges,lsaid strips having handle portions for facilitatingsliding action along the marginal portion, and a transparent sheathenclosing the marginal portion of the card about the signal strips, saidsignal strips being independently movable in the sheath for independentsignalling cooperation with their respective marginal sections.

6. An index device comprising a card, a pair of signals, means on onemarginal portion of the card for slidably mounting the signals forindependent movement with portions of the signals visible over differentportions of the card and other portions concealed, said signals beingfree for signalling cooperation on one face of the card and overdifferent and opposite sections.

'7.An index device comprising a card having a slot in one marginalportion, a transparent sheath enclosing the slotted marginal portion ofthe card, a pair of signal strips slidably mounted in the slot andcrossing at the slot to extend on opposite sides of the card, one of thestrips being cut away to facilitate receiving both signal strips in theslot, and one of the signals having an offset handle portion tofacilitate sliding it in the sheath, a portion of each 'strip beingvisible and coniined between the sheath and the front of the card on theside of the slot opposite the other stripeach strip being independentlymovable for independent signalling cooperation with one portion of thecard.

8. An index device comprising a card having a slot in one marginalportion, a transparent sheath enclosing the slotted marginal portion ofthe card, apair of signal strips slidably mounted in the slot andcrossing at the slot to extend on opposite sides of the card, one of thestrips being slotted longitudinally for receiving the other strip attheir intersection at the slot, said signalling strips having offsethandle portions to facilitate sliding them in the sheath, a portion ofeach strip being visible and conned between the sheath and the front ofthe card on the side of the slot opposite the other strip, each stripbeing independently movable and having independent signalling cooperation with one portion of the card.

9. A slidable signal member for visible indexes comprising a strip ofsheet material, formed to provide an elongated narrow shank section anda handle section on one end of said shank section extending transverselyto said shank section with opposite ends extending beyond opposite sidesof said shank section unequal distances, the longer end of said handlesection having a curved handle forming end portion.

CHARLES C. KITCHEN.

